Power-transmitting mechanism.



7H. L. BROWN.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1912.

LQQfiQa I Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

entrain snares arena OFFKQE.

HENRY II. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO BROWN SPIN-WRIGHTCOMPANY, OF N EW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

Patented Aug. 10, 19115,

Original application filed January 6; 1910, Serial No. 536,681. Dividedand this application filed February To all whom itmag concern Be itknown that l, HENRY L. BRowN, of New York, N. Y., have invented certain1mprovements in Power-Transmitting Mech- An important object of myinvention is' to provide means for gearing a metal driving band with agear wheel the teeth of which are constituted by relatively shortportions of helical threads such as are found in the ordinary feed-screwused in lathes, since such screws can be made with a minimum of expenseand a maximum accuracy owing to the proficiency of the manufacturers ofsuch feed-screws, the excellent machinery available therefor, and theextended demand which makes the feed-screws a stable product.Accordingly, I have devised a band which may, and preferably will, be arelatively thin and flexible strip of metal, and preferably fiatthroughout its length to reduce'to a minimum all sources of friction andaccidental engagement with extraneous objects, following in this respectthe preferred form of driving band disclosed in my United States LettersPatent No. 957,650, dated May 10, 1910, of which this present inventionis a development.

In carrying my invention mto effect, ll prefer to form the rotatablemember or gear Wheel of my improved power-transmitting mechanism by'cuttingshort sectionsof a cylindrical screw having, say, three or fourcircumferential peripheral threads of suitable pitch andcrosssection,the lateral faces of the pinions being preferably formed so that theends of the helical teeth are terminated by surfaces parallel with theplane of rotation of the pinion. Each pinion section, so constructed,will comprise several helical teeth bodily inclined laterally relativelyto Serial No. 675,403.

the plane of rotation, and preferably these teeth will togethercompletely embrace the 3605 of periphery, and overlap somewhat, toinsure smooth continuity in operation, although I do not limit myself tothe use of teeth subtending any specific circumferential arc, nor of anyspecific pitch, lead or number, except as found necessary fortheparticular installation in any given case. So also the number ofpinions, or equivalent gears, and their arrangement, is immaterial, andmay be varied to suit diverse contingencies, as for example in providingspindles with gears, two helical pinions may be formed on the peripheryof the gear with their teeth oppositely inclined, to avoid undue thrustco-axially by reason of the inclination of the drive surfaces laterallyrelatively to the direction of actuative engagement of the band andhelical teeth; also the separation of the teeth of the two threads by a,considerable interval, and the staggered arrangement .of the teeth onone pinionopposite the spaces between teeth of the other will makepossible the use of a band having a substantially continuous medial weblengthwise, between the band apertures which receive the teeth, thusstrengthening the band, and. also promoting smoothness of operation byreason of the total absence of sharp points in the band, which isconstantly being flexed as itruns around the pulleys, and mlghtdeterlorate under the bending stress at such points. These bandapertures may be substantially straight, inclined bodily across thedirection of movement of the band, and with parallel drive walls, and

will preferably have and extensions in order to afiord clearancefor theends ofthe helical teeth even after the drive walls of the bandapertures shall have become worn by actuative engagement with thehelical teeth, and this feature of my invention I regard as applicableto any form of lengthwise acting ,member in which it may be embodied,the

separation and staggered relation of the teeth in a herringbone gearbeing a cognate feature of generic novelty and utility.

lhe various features of my inventionwill be illustrated and describedfully in the accompanying drawings and specification and set forth inthe claims.

In the drawings,Figure 1 shows in front elevation a fragment of thedriving band, in the construction of which my invention has beenembodied, the same being shown in engagement with a gear; Fig. 2 is aview in side elevation of a spindle provided with a gear like that shownin Fig. .1, and having a supporting post, the parts being shown readyfor assembly; Fig. 3 is a plan view, looking from bottom to top of thespindle proper illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in frontelevation of the preferred form of spindle and spindle-actuating gear,in the construction of which my invention has been embodied; Fig. 5 is aplan view on a smaller scale of an endless metallic band with pulleysand motor indicated diagrammatically, and a considerable number ofspindles; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are views in elevation of modified forms ofband embodying my invention, the first two of these figures illustratingdifferent modes of joining the ends of the bands. Fig. 9 is afragmentary view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a slightly modified form ofgear upon part of a spindle.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration anddescription to enable ready and complete understanding of myimprovements, the part designated by the numeral 1 is a powertransmitting member, which may be the driving or driven member in powertransmitting apparatus 7 where it is employed, and in the instanceillustrated may be considered as the driving band for a series ofspindles, substantially as indicated on a reduced scale in Fig. 5,

wherein the spindles bear respectively the numeral 2, while the numerals3 and 4 desand the driving pins or teeth with which it may be provided,and 5 is an electric motor connected by a belt 6 to apulley 7 mounted ona shaft 8 which actuates the driving pulley 3, the numeral 9 designatingan idle pulley around which the other loop of, the endless belt may run.

The pulleys, motor power, and other parts, may be of any suitable andconvenient construction, and considerable Variation may be had in theconstruction of the driving band, which in accordance with my inventionis provided with means to be engaged positively with a rotatable memberfor the progressive actuation of one of. said members by the othermember, and as one convenient form of such means I prefer to provide theband with driving surfaces 10 inclined laterally relatively to thelength of said band, and these surfaces may conveniently be formed inthe manner illustrated, as the. walls of apertures through the band, thelatter being of any suitable material, such as a fiat endless ribbon ofsteel, secured suitably at the joint, as by welding, brazing orriveting. Fig. 6 illuslgnate respectively a suitable driving pulley,

cordance with the requirements of particular installations, and for manypurposes the form illustrated in the drawings will be found mostconvenient, these apertures be ing such as to receive and cooperate withthe threads of screw or spiral worm, gear or sprocket wheels such asthat shown at 20, best seen in Fig. 2, the numeral 21 designating thethreads or teeth of the gear, the same being shown in Fig. 1 in positionengaged with the band, entering the apertures thereof and cooperating orin a position to cooperate with the walls 10 thereof. It is to be notedthat the band can actuate the gear or the gear can actuate the band, andthe same may be said accordingly to engage each other co-actuatively, anexpression which is used hereinafter for the sake of conciseness.

The numeral 30 designates a similar gear provided with teeth 31 ofspiral form similar to those shown at 21, but of opposite angle, andarranged in staggered relation thereto, so that the end of each tooth onone of the gears comes opposite the space between two of the teeth onthe other gear, the teeth 21 beingpreferably somewhat removed from theends of the teeth 31, suitable means being provided to maintain thegears in this relation, and to support them in position upon the devicewith which they are to rotate. As a convenient form of such means l haveshown a hub or sleeve 40 upon which the'gears may be secured in suitablefashion, as by shrinking or forcing, or with set screws 22, 32, eitheror both, or as found suitable in accordance with the exigencies ofparticular installations.

Fig. 9 shows a very desirable form in which the two inclined sets ofteeth 41 are formed integral with the hub 44. The numerals 42 designateholes to receive coupling prongs such as those shown in Fig. 4 at 43.

j The band apertures are best seen in Fig. 1, where they are arranged indouble lines diverging from the middle of the band, along which ispreferably left a continuous web 12, for the sake of strength, and toavoid sharp points, which might be detrimental to smoothness ofoperation if the apertures my invention to have such a plurality of rowsof inclined surfaces 10, the double arrangement serving advantageously,however, to balance the co-axial thrust upon the band due to theinclination of the surfaces 10 engaging with the inclined surfaces ofthe teeth 21, and 31. The apertures will be of sufficient length to giveample clearance for entry and exit of the screw teeth 21, 31 and may besomewhat elongated as indicated at 25, .35, so that when the walls 10become worn, the clearance will still be sufiicient.

In the form of band shown inFig. 6, extensions of the apertures areillustrated parallel with the length of the band; in Fig. 7 theextensions 135 are parallel with the axis of the aperture; and in Fig. 8the extensions are of the same width as the working portions of theapertures 100, these apertures being somewhat narrower than those shownin Figs. 6 and 7, leaving more of the band material 101 unpunched.

The spindle shown in Fig. 2 is of a con struction correspondinggenerally with one illustrated in my Patent No. 987,546 issued March 21,1911, in that it has a support a carrying a spherical bearing sleeve(L29 having an inwardly conical bearing surface a seated upon thecorresponding surface a, of a bushing a, which is provided with ashoulder a and adjusting washers a, the spherical member being embracedbetween the hub 401 of the spindle and a member a arranged to screwwithin the hub and to be secured there by a set screw a A collar aserves to hold in place a spring (L132 upon which is seated the gear 20,

the latter being free to move axially along the hub 401, but beingsecured to rotate therewith by suitable means such as a screw 22entering a groove 402 in the hub, the gear being thus free to movevertically un der. the influence of the driving band. Normally the partsa, a? and a are inclosed within the part 401 as indicated at the upperpart of Fig. 2, where the collar a appears in its normal position.

In Fig. 4 the gear 44 is held by a similar spring 403 surrounding abushing 400 upon which the gear rotates, the gear being made up of asleeve with annuli seated thereon provided with driving teeth 41. Theteeth may be hardened, and the sleeve of cast metal provided withapertures 42 to receive driving prongs 48 carried by 'a collar '45 whichhas a frictional fit upon the spindle blade 46, being held in placeagainst axial movement by collars 47, 48 fast upon the spindle blade.The numeral 49 designates a wear-plate secured to the gear by a screw50.

Normally, under the action of the gear 44, communicated by the prongs43, the collar 45 rotates the spindle blade 46, and with it the bobbin48, but if, in dofiing the bobbin, the operator grasps the latter insuch a way as to stop rotation of the spindle blade 46,

the gear 44 can still rotate the collar 45,

which slips upon the spindle blade. When released, the friction of thecollar upon the contiguous parts is sufficient to start the spindle.

Having illustrated and described my invention thus fully and suitablemeans by which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the specific structural formsand materials selected for illustration and description, nor in generalotherwise than as set forth in the claims read in connection with thisspecification, and attention is further called to the fact that certainportions of the subject matter illustrated herein by way of example isnot claimed specifically herein, for the reason that it forms thesubject of claims in my above-mentioned copending application Serial No.536,681, and of my co-pending application Serial N 0. 594,960, filedNovember 30, 1910, the latter application and my present applicationhaving been divided from my aforesaid application Ser. No. 536,681.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentis:

1. Powertransmitting-mechanism; comprising a gear having helical teeth;and a band with apertures to receive said helical teeth, the aperturewalls intermeshing coactuatively therewith; substantially as described.

2. Power-transmitting-mechanism of the class described; comprising arotatable member having a plurality of parallel series of helical,peripheral actuating projections, differently inclined, projections ofsimilar inclination being arranged in a series sepa rated from otherprojections of different inclination, and staggered relatively thereto;and a band with apertures having driving walls geared co-actuativelywith said pro-' jections; substantially as described.

3. Power-transmitting mechanism of the class described; comprising arotatable member having a plurality of parallel series of helical,peripheral actuating projections, differently inclined, projections ofsimilar inclinationl being arranged in a series separated from otherprojections of diiferent in; clination, and staggered relativelythereto; and a band geared co-actuatively with said projections; saidband having apertures in series corresponding to, and to receive, saidpro ections, with a substantially continuous band portion between saidseries of apertures.

4. Power-transmittingmechanism of the class described comprising arotatable member having peripheral actuating teeth arranged inherringbone pattern; and a band having apertures in herringbone patternwith driving walls geared in co-actuative engagement with saidteeth,,substantially as described.

5. Power-transmitting-mechanism of the class described; comprising arotatable member with helical, peripheral teeth ar ranged in herringbonepattern; teeth of similar inclination being separated from teeth ofdifferent inclination and staggered with relation thereto; and a bandgeared coactuatively with said teeth; said band having teeth-receivingapertures with inclined drive-walls so located as to be engagedcontinuously with portions of two of said teeth in one series and atleast one tooth in another series, when in operative position.

6. Power-transmitting-mechanism of the class described; comprising arotatable member with helical, peripheral teeth arranged in herringbonepattern, teeth of similar inclination being separated from teeth ofdifferent inclination and staggered with relation thereto; and a bandhaving apertures in herring-bone pattern with driving walls gearedco-actuatively with said teeth, substantially tangent to said rotatablemember.

7. A band for power-transmitting-mechanism of the class described; saidband having longitudinally inclined apertures, substantially asdescribed.

S; A band 'for power-transmitting-mechauism of the class described; saidband having longitudinally inclined apertures with substantiallyparallel driving walls, substantially as described.

9. A band for power-transmitting-mecha-' nism of the class described;said band having oppositely inclined drive apertures arranged in aplurality of series, accordingto inclination, substantially asdescribed.

10. A band for power-trans1nitting-mech anism of the class described;said band having oppositely inclined drive apertures arranged in aplurality of series, according to inclination; and said band having asubstantially continuous medial portion separating said series.

11. A band for power-transmitting-mechanism of the class described; saidband having oppositely inclined drive apertures arranged in a pluralityof series, according to inclination; and said band having asubstantially continuous medial portion separating said series; theapertures in one series being staggered relatively to those in anotherseries.

12. A band for power-transmitting apparatus of the class described; saidband having elongated, substantially straight apertures arranged inparallel series so located that the body of any given aperture isopposite the adjacent ends of two apertures in another series;substantially as described.

13. A band for power-transmittingmechanism of the class described; saidband having a longitudinally inclined drive aperture, one end of saidaperture being extended to furnish clearance for/the drive member to inga longitudinally inclined drive aperture,

one end of said aperture being extended in parallelism with the lengthof said band to furnish clearance for the drive member to be receivedtherewithin, as the wall' of said aperture wears away under drivingengagement with said member.

15. Power-transmitting"-mechanism of the class described; said mechanismcomprising a lengthwise moving member having a plurality of driveapertures to receive recurrently the helical peripheral drive teeth of acooperating rotating member, for actuation of one of said members by theother, and a rotating member having teeth terminating at each end insurfaces parallel with the plane of rotation of said driving member,said apertures having a bodily angular inclination to said planecorresponding to the helical pitch of said teeth, with enlargements atthe ends of said apertures, to furnish clearance for said teeth ends.

16. Power-transmitting-mechanism com-' prising a lengthwise movingmember having a plurality of drive apertures to receive recurrently thehelical peripheral drive teeth of a cooperating rotating member, foractuation of one of said members by the other, and a rotating memberhaving helical, peripheral drive teeth, said teeth terminating at eachend in surfaces parallel with the plane of rotation of said drivingmember and said apertures having a bodily angular inclination to saidplane corresponding to the helical pitch of said teeth, with enlargementat the ends of said apertures extending in the line of movement of saidlengthwise moving member, to furnish clearance for said teeth ends,normally and after wear of the walls of said apertures by operativeengagement with said teeth.

17. A metal power-transmitting band, flat throughout its length, andhaving apertures arrangeddivergently in plural series withlongitudinally inclined drive walls confined between the faces of saidband, substantially as described.

18. The combination with a spindle; of. a rotatable member havinghelical teeth of opposed inclination; means to support said spindle andmember co-axially; a band provided with apertures to receive said teethand the walls of said apertures being constructed and arranged to engagesaid teeth to rotate said member; and means to connect comcloselyarranged apertures; means to drive said band at high speed, and amultiplicity of rotatable members of relatively small diameter havingrespectively peripheral teeth to enter said band apertures and to beengaged actuatively with said band, and springs on which said gears arerespectively mounted to float so that said gears can follow themovements of said band parallel to the axis of said gears; substantiallyas described.

20. Power-transmitting-apparatus; comprising a metallic band havingapertures arranged closely in staggered relation in a plurality of lineslengthwise of said band; and a multiplicity of rotatable members ofprojections in close proximity for continuous actuati e engagement withsaid band, entering the apertures thereof, several at a time on eachgear at the points where said hand is in tangent relation therewith,said band being arranged to run in tangency to all of said gears;substantially as described.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 3rd day ofFebruary, 1912.

HENRY L. BROWVN.

Witnesses:

VVM. E. HOLLAND, ALEXANDER C. PROUDFIT.

